cbotkin

Member

Posts : 94Join date : 2011-03-16Location : Delta, B.C.

I can't say for Coccidiosis, but for Mareks, it needs to be within 24 hours of hatching. The recommendation for ILT, using LT-IVAX, is at 4 weeks of age with a booster at 10 weeks, and once a year thereafter. I am doing all my breeder birds this year for ILT, and it is the first time for most, so I will be doing it this weekend and then again 6 weeks following.

I have previously vaccinated for ILT about 10 years ago, but I no longer have any of those birds. It really is easy to do.

ChicoryFarm

Is it okay to vaccinate with the ILT at any age, as long as the youngest flock is no younger than 4 weeks? I'll have a number of different flocks at different ages with the oldest being one year old when I do them all at once.

I understand then I do them all 6 weeks later.

Also, I would be doing them the first week of July and I have some meat birds arriving July 18th (about 2 weeks later) but they won't be coming in contact with the recently vaccinated layers. Could that be a problem?

Hidden River

Golden Member

Posts : 3326Join date : 2011-03-14Location : Maple Creek, SK

The key with vaccinating is to protect them before they can come in contact with the disease. So wil ILT the closer you do them to 4 weeks the better protection they are going to have. Once a bird has had contact with ILT it will no longer be protected by the vaccine.Although some people say that vaccinating adult birds is still a good idea, one if they never had the virus before you are going to protect them and two even if they do have the virus it will help to reduce shedding of it. Of course I don't have a lot of evidence to back this up as I have not heard it directly from the vet.

ChicoryFarm

Okay, that's great Jayme. I know Clayton is doing his all at once and then putting them in 'lock down' - no birds coming in or leaving for a certain period of time and so I was just following his lead waiting till all my birds are hatched this year before I treat them. Do you know why they would have to go into lock down or can I vaccinate birds I have now, then 4 week old chicks at the end of April and as I said, last batch first week of June, or should I wait and do them all at once?

cbotkin

Member

Posts : 94Join date : 2011-03-16Location : Delta, B.C.

Hi,

So, today every pheasant and chicken over 4 weeks old was given their first dose of LT-IVAX. It was incredibly easy, and I am disappointed I was so worried about doing it. I was done all of my birds within an hour, including the pheasants, which are not easy to catch. The stress was minimal, although I think for the booster I will do as a good freind suggested and do them all near dusk, when they are going to roost for the night. I will be administering the booster in 6 weeks. This timing works out well for our club show in June as the shedding stage will be over for the show.

So, Chicory, from this point on, I will be doing all the young birds when they hit 4 weeks old, as the breeders will now be protected. I may hold some birds over for a week to make use of the vaccine, expecially as my first hatches were only 3 birds for 2 weeks, so I may do all 6 next week, then weekly following that. I feel I do not need to worry now with the entire site being vaccinated, and I NEVER wear my barn clothes to anyone else's facility or off our farm, so the ongoing vaccination plan should be fairly safe. I will also stop well in advance of any shows so as there will be no chance of shedding at the show.

cbotkin

Member

Posts : 94Join date : 2011-03-16Location : Delta, B.C.

We were told at a recent forum our club hosted that the TCO (TCO- Tissue Culture Origin) type vaccine is still a live virus and can be shed when the birds come under periods of extreme stress. The vet said it is definately much more safe than the In-Ovum developed vaccines, but that, as with any live virus vaccination, it can be shed. Having heard this, I still want to be very careful when exhibiting. Our club actually has a rule regarding showng vaccinated birds in all our club shows to ensure the safety of the others in the showroom as well. This rul has been in place since the mid-90's.